Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) commenced distribution of licences to private septic tankers to streamline their operations and ensure that waste disposal is done in a scientific way.

All the private septic tankers operating till the Outer Ring Road were also instructed to register their details with the Board before January 7 to carry out their operations. Accordingly, nearly 55 operators registered their names and details and they were issued licences by the HMWSSB Managing Director M Dana Kishore here on Saturday.

Kishore instructed the operators not to transport industrial waste and warned of criminal cases against those found indulging in such practices.

The Board is setting up 18 new Sewerage Treatment Plants across the city at a cost of Rs 14 crore and this would ensure that the private septic tankers dump the sewage at the treatment plants and facilitate in scientific disposal of the waste. It would also aid in curbing damage to the environment, he said.

HMWSSB would also conduct special sessions for workers at the field level about the importance of insurance and safety measures to be adopted. Focus would be on guiding the septic tank operators on the measures while taking up their work, he added

Those who fail to register their vehicles and operations details and continue their operations would be facing stern action, besides the vehicles being detained.